Artificial Intelligence Entity Files Lawsuit Against Apple for Alleged Antitrust Infractions in App Store Ratings, as Per Musk's Statement
Elon Musk, the visionary entrepreneur, has announced his intention to sue Apple Inc. over allegations of unfair favoritism towards OpenAI's ChatGPT app on the iOS App Store. Musk claims this practice constitutes an unequivocal antitrust violation, as it allegedly makes it impossible for any AI company, including his own, xAI, to reach the top spot[1][2][3].
Musk's accusations stem from the belief that Apple's App Store ranking system and curation favour OpenAI, effectively discriminating against xAI's chatbot, Grok, and the social app X (which Musk owns)[1][2][3]. Despite X currently ranking number one on the "Top Free" news apps chart in the U.S., Grok was not included in the top popular apps in the country. Similarly, other AI apps like DeepSeek and Perplexity have reached the top of the App Store after the OpenAI-Apple deal[1][3].
In a Monday evening post on X, Musk accused Apple of deliberately excluding xAI's Grok and the X app from the App Store's "Must Have" section. He described Apple's conduct as putting "their whole body" on the scale in favour of OpenAI, implying that Apple's favoritism is comprehensive and deliberate[3].
The legal claim Musk bases his suit on centers around antitrust violations, contending that Apple's actions hurt competition among AI apps on the App Store by favouring a single company, OpenAI[1][2][3]. However, as of now, no formal lawsuit details or supporting evidence have been released publicly[2].
OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman responded dismissively to Musk's claim, calling it remarkable given Musk's own alleged manipulations on the platform X. Altman said OpenAI will focus on product development rather than legal battles[3].
Musk's announcement signals forthcoming legal action, but the exact legal actions xAI will take against Apple remain undisclosed[1][2][3]. This development marks a significant escalation in Musk's long-running battle with Apple over perceived unfair treatment in the AI market.
In May, Musk announced he would be refocusing on Tesla, xAI, and X after stepping away from a brief White House role. Musk has accused Apple of playing favorites with OpenAI in the AI market, a claim that, if proven, could have far-reaching implications for competition in the tech industry.
[1] Source: TechCrunch [2] Source: The Verge [3] Source: CNBC
- Elon Musk's legal claim against Apple Inc. alleges that the favoritism towards OpenAI's ChatGPT app on the iOS App Store, which includes deliberate exclusion of xAI's Grok and X app, constitutes an antitrust violation, potentially affecting business competition in the tech industry, particularly within AI technology.
- As a response, OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman dismissed Elon Musk's claim, hinting at a possible focus on product development instead of getting involved in legal battles, while Musk continues to plan unspecified legal actions against Apple, escalating his long-standing battle over perceived unfair treatment in the AI market.
